Departmental Legal Profession

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many lawyers are employed within his Department; and how many such lawyers are qualified to practise in England and Wales as (a) solicitors and (b) barristers.

Jeremy Hunt: The Department does not directly employ any lawyers. Lawyers are employed by the Treasury Solicitors Department and assigned to the Department.
	There are currently 1.9 lawyers, and 1 trainee lawyer, assigned to the Department. All those lawyers (apart from the trainee) are qualified to practice in England and Wales as either solicitors or barristers.